Calvin and Hobbes Epilogue: Kasey and Hobbes
by amiablehacker
Summary: Calvin is now grown up and wants to pass Hobbes on to his daughter, Kasey. But will she accept Hobbes as Calvin did?
1. New Friendship?

When Calvin first held his stuffed tiger against his chest, he was instantly filed with glee. He felt his life was complete and he could accomplish anything. Over time, however, his beloved Hobbes became too childish for him, but Calvin decided not to stow him away. He built a shelf especially for Hobbes and sat him softly against the wall of his new house he lived in with Susie.

When Susie announced she was pregnant after being married for five years, Calvin couldn't have been happier. Finally, after a long wait, Hobbes would be used once again by the loving hands of an innocent child. Then Susie lay on the exciting news that their future child was going to be a girl. Calvin grinned. Hobbes had always been a fan of girls. And it would be interesting to see how differently his daughter would play with a stuffed animal as opposed to a son.

The day finally came, and Susie managed to push out their beautiful baby after twenty excruciating hours of labor. Their little girl, Kasey, started crying and Susie did too. After Kasey was all cleaned up, Calvin was able to hold her for the first time. Tears surfaced in his eyes and he started crying too. He looked at Susie.

"Look what we did," he whispered, "She's so beautiful."

Susie grasped Calvin's hand and smiled. "She looks just her father," she said. This was the best day of their lives. Nothing can compare to the feeling of snuggling your baby against you as they're sleeping peacefully, not knowing what the world has to offer. Yet, Calvin looked forward to the day little Kasey would be old enough to love Hobbes as much as he did.

But, there was a problem. Kasey was born in the 21st century, which means she was going to grow up around technology her whole life. Susie and Calvin both knew a lot about technology. Susie had to learn about it during college and the idea of computers was always fascinating to Calvin. He used it to draw and to write. When Kasey turned four, she had her own laptop she could watch her favorite shows on. When she turned five, there were no stuffed animals in her room. There were no dolls. There was nothing but posters of her favorite Nick Jr. TV characters and cute baby animals. Calvin didn't feel like it was the right time to give Hobbes to her.

Kasey turned eight and she found her own friends who liked to talk about the cute boy on the playground, even though it seemed like behavior for a twelve year old to Calvin. He didn't feel like it was the right time to give Hobbes to her either, but he felt obligated to. Sooner or later, Kasey was going to be too old for stuffed animals completely. He felt that it was now or never.

He opened the door to Kasey's room, and she didn't even look up. She was engrossed in a book, like her mother always was, but Kasey's selection wasn't as intellectual. She read the books about teens and their problems and books about drama with boys. Susie had always been interested in books like "Pride and Prejudice" and "Romeo and Juliet." Kasey always defended her books and said Calvin and Susie were always telling her to read, but when she read books she liked, they were against them. So Calvin didn't remark about her book.

"I have something for you," he said slowly, holding Hobbes behind his back.

She looked up, her attention caught. "What is it?" she asked, not as excited as Calvin had hoped.

"It's, um, something that helped me through my childhood. And now I'm passing it on you." He had had this whole speech lingering in his head for years, and now it didn't seem to sound right. He pulled Hobbes into her view and he smiled. Kasey rolled her eyes.

"Um…why would I want this again, Dad?" she asked.

Calvin looked at Hobbes sadly. Hobbes had done so much for Calvin and now Kasey wasn't even giving him a chance. Hobbes deserved to be treated with respect. "Because everyone needs a friend," Calvin finally said.

Kasey sighed. "Have you been living under a rock? I have friends! I don't need some stuffed animal to help me with my problems!"

Her words hurt him and he gently placed Hobbes on her bed. "Just give him a chance, ok? He may surprise you." Calvin shut Kasey's door as his shoulders started to shake and tears started to overflow his eyes. He put his back against the wall and Susie saw him. She led him to the living room where Kasey couldn't hear them.

"What happened Calvin?" Susie asked softly.

"Kasey hates Hobbes. I can't believe she won't accept him. I love that tiger." Calvin rested his head in his hands as Susie put her arms on his shoulders.

"She'll come around. I know she has an imagination, she just doesn't realize what it can do yet."

Calvin nodded, but the hope wasn't there.

_I can't believe Jake was going to ask me out, I had to prepare. I made sure I looked prettier than usual. Then I—_

"Hello."

Kasey looked up, startled. No one had opened her door, and the voice didn't sound like her parents. No one was in her room. She went back to her book.

_Then I examined my wardrobe. All my clothes seemed out of season. I had to wear something special. I decided—_

"Hello? Can you hear me?"

She looked up again, and she glanced at Hobbes. He looked more lifelike and was smiling. Was that how he looked before? Kasey thought she was going crazy and then-

"Hi, I'm Hobbes!" Hobbes said, extending his right paw.

Kasey's eyes got wide and she dropped her book on the floor. "Y-you're t-talking…how is that…?"

"Calvin, I mean your dad, never told you? Of course I can talk. You just have to believe!" He grinned.

"But, I don't believe in you. You're a toy!"

Hobbes chuckled. "You have Calvin's imagination, no doubt. You just don't realize what it's capable of." He looked out the window at the sparkling sun dancing on the trees. "Let's play outside!" He pounced off the bed and looked eagerly at Kasey.

"Um, I don't think so! I haven't played outside in years. That's for little kids!" Yet, Kasey stood up.

Hobbes rolled his eyes. "Right. Hate to break it to you, but you_ are_ a little kid. You're eight. You should be playing outside." He grabbed her hand. "Come on, what's the worst that can happen?"

She scowled. "My friends will see me! That's the worst that can happen!"

Hobbes let go of her hand. "Ok…well how about we just talk?" He smirked. "I have some really good stories about your dad."

"Ok, I guess," Kasey replied gloomily, although she was really curious. She picked up Hobbes and walked down the hallway, where she saw her parents sitting on the couch.

"Where are you going with Hobbes?" Calvin stood up abruptly and defensively.

"Calvin, calm down," Susie said, "I'm sure she isn't going to go destroy him or anything."

He sat down. "Well, I just have to be sure."

"Um, Hobbes and I are going to talk and stuff. He said he has some good stories."

Calvin lit up. "He was talking to you? That's great!"

Kasey shrugged. "I guess. Anyway, we'll be in the front yard."

"Ok, have fun sweetie," Susie smiled and waved.

Hobbes walked down the stairs and met Kasey in the grassy front yard. The he started giggling.

"What? What's so funny?" Kasey asked.

"I just always knew those two would end up together. They used to hate each other!" He giggled again.

Even though Kasey didn't really understand, she started to laugh too.

Back in the house, Calvin watched his daughter and his best friend laughing together. He smiled as the memories started flooding his head and he hoped the memories Kasey would make with Hobbes would be the best she would ever have.


	2. I'm Not A Kid!

_[Sorry it's been so long guys, I had a computer crash.__]_

Kasey was literally rolling on the floor, laughing out loud. "You're kidding!" she cried when she could breathe again, "My dad actually I _did_ that?"

Hobbes held up his paw. "Solemnly swear," he said with a serious face, "Your dad called Susie those names and threw snowballs at her."

"I can't believe it!" Kasey giggled, "When Mom tells her and Dad's dating adventures, she said that they were made for each other!" She sat up in the warm grass and looked up at the clouds, imagining the wonders her parents went through as kids.

"Oh, they were meant for each other," Hobbes smiled, "They just didn't want to admit it. Then Calvin and Susie started hitting it off in middle school." He suddenly frowned and hung his head. "Then he stopped talking to me."

Kasey snapped her head back to Hobbes. "Stopped talking to you? Why?"

"He stopped believing."

"It sure sounded like he believed in you when he brought you over to me," Kasey said, confused.

"Yeah, but adults never believe. Unless they're crazy."

"Crazy eh? Dad told me there are some pretty crazy people in this family," joked Kasey.

Hobbes chuckled, but she knew he wasn't happy.

Suddenly, the front door of the house opened and Calvin stepped out. He glanced over at his Hobbes and Kasey and smiled. He waved.

"Hi Dad!" Kasey waved back. "Hobbes is telling me all the things you used to say to Mom when you were kids!"

Calvin laughed. "Well there's quite a bit to discuss on that matter. I have to go pick up some stuff from the store. I'll be back soon!" He got into the car and fumbled around his key ring for the car key. The car soon started. He rolled down the window to wave again. "Bye honey! I love you!" he called.

"Bye Dad!" Kasey waved again and started talking to Hobbes while the car rolled out of the driveway.

Hobbes looked perplexed. "Why didn't you say 'I love you' back to him?"

Kasey shrugged. "I dunno. I just don't do that kind of stuff."

"Kids should tell their parents they love them. Teenagers should too, but they tend not to do it as much. They're more rebellious."

"I know Hobbes. And I'm not a kid!" she scowled.

Hobbes scoffed. "Yes you are!"

"I am not!"

"How old are you, Kasey?"

"Eight."

Hobbes rolled his eyes. "Oh you're _definitely_ an adult!"

"I never said I was an adult!"

"Well, if you're not a kid, and not an adult, then what are you?"

Kasey thought for a second. Then she frowned again. "I'm a big kid! And if you're going to treat me like a baby, I'll just leave you out here!" She stood up and walked toward the porch.

"Fine! See if I care! Your mom won't let me rot out here all night! Adults know better."

"Hmph!" Kasey slammed the door behind her.

Susie heard. "Kasey," she said in a warning voice, "Don't slam the doors. It causes damage over time."

"Hmph!" Kasey said again.

"Something wrong?" Susie asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Don't bring Hobbes back in! He's being a bad tiger!"

"Oh really?" smiled Susie, "But it might start to rain. Then Hobbes will have to dry for days. Besides, Dad wouldn't like it if you treated Hobbes meanly. He's very special."

"Hobbes or Dad?"  
Susie chuckled. "Both. Now go read or something. Dinner will start once Dad gets home."

Kasey sulked to her room and sat on her bed. She decided to read the book she was trying to read when Calvin interrupted her. But reading made her sleepy. She soon fell asleep with her book on her chest.

The room was dark and Kasey woke up with a start. Only half-asleep, she wondered why she was in her play clothes. Then she remembered how she fell asleep. _That's weird,_ she thought, _I thought Mom said she'd start dinner soon._ Kasey made her way to the kitchen, which was also dark. Downstairs, she heard soft voices. _Mom and Dad must be talking_, she thought.

But the only per son downstairs was Susie. She paced nervously and bit her nails. Then she saw Kasey standing there. "Did you see Dad's car?"

There was a window near the driveway with a clear view of their cars. "I didn't check. Why?"

"Dad isn't home yet. He's been gone for two hours."

_That's just like Mom to worry_, Kasey thought. "I'm sure he's fine," she replied and headed back upstairs. Halfway up, the phone rang. Susie gasped. Kasey walked back downstairs.

"Hello?" Susie answered, worried. There was mumbling. "Oh no! Is-is he ok?" Her eyes brimmed with tears.

Kasey's stomach dropped. She tried to understand what the person on the other line was saying, but couldn't.

"Oh thank goodness! At least he's ok now. Tell him I'll be over soon." She hung up and looked at Kasey, whose eyes were full of questions. "Dad's been in a car accident. He broke his leg." Susie pointed upstairs. "Put your shoes on, we're going to visit him."

Kasey obeyed, completely numb. She didn't really understand what was going on. She knew what a car accident was, and she knew what a broken leg was, but Kasey thought only people who were doing stupid things only got in car accidents. Her dad was a safe driver, how could this have happened?

When Kasey and Susie were in the car, Susie wouldn't move. She had the key in the ignition, but wouldn't turn it. She leaned her head on the steering wheel. "I can't do it. I can't drive this thing." Susie fumbled in her purse for her cell phone, and dialed.

"Mom, what are you doi—"

"Shhh, I'm on the phone." A second later, someone answered. "Janey, Calvin's in the hospital. Car accident. Well, he broke his leg, but he's fine. Listen, I'm want to go see him, but I…I can't drive the car. I…I just can't. Do you think…? Really? Oh thank you so much! I'll see you soon. Bye."

Kasey didn't want to ask why her mom couldn't drive, so she remained quiet while they waited for Janey. She thought about what Hobbes said. _He said I was a kid_, she thought, _Kids get scared when things happen to their parents. Even little things like this. Mom isn't scared. I'll bet she can't drive because she's too excited to see Dad again. I'm not scared either. I'm not scared…._

Janey pulled up, she only lived a couple minutes away. Susie moved to the passenger side.

"Hi girls," Janey said. She looked at Susie. "You ok?"

She nodded. "Y-yeah. I'm fine."

"You're shaking."

"It's cold."

"Alright. Alright. I won't push." Janey looked back at Kasey. "You ok, hon?"

Kasey smiled. "Yep! I can't wait to see Dad!"

Looking back at Susie, Janey raised eyebrows. "I don't think Kasey really gets what's going on…"

Kasey scowled. Of course she did. She just wasn't a baby.

_I'm not scared. I'm not scared._


	3. I'm Not Scared

Janey pulled up in front of the hospital. Susie immediately made a mad dash for Kasey's door. Kasey was unbuckled and lifted from her seat. It had been a long time since she had been picked up. She bounced with her mother's steps.

Entering a hospital was something Kasey had never done before. She turned her head as much as she could, taking in the new sights. Suddenly, her mother turned and stopped.

"Hi. My husband's here. Calvin Grayson. I need to see him." Susie sounded scared and rushed, her words slurring together and all in one breath.

Kasey was facing away from the counter, but the reply sounded friendly and calm. "Yes, Mrs. Grayson. Your husband is on the third floor. 318 C. The elevators are down the hall."

"Thank you," Susie exhaled. She put Kasey down. Just then, the doors opened and Janey entered the hospital. She followed them to the elevators.

Despite all this, Kasey was determined to look happy for her dad. She had to show him she was a big girl and wasn't scared. Yet, her heart continued to pound in her ears and her hands kept sweating.

The elevator made Kasey's stomach drop a little. When the elevator doors opened, the hallways were white with brown accents. The floors were shiny from being freshly washed. People in green uniforms walked briskly, eager to help all the people they could. Susie squeezed her hand.

"God, it smells like death. Calvin better get out of here soon," Susie muttered to Janey. Janey chuckled.

As the three of them walked down the seemingly endless hallway, they passed a child leaning on a hospital bed. Lying in the bed was a man limply holding her hand. The man had his eyes closed. Susie had stopped to ask a doctor for directions to Calvin's room, so Kasey continued to look in the room. The child's shoulders shook.

"What am I going to do without you Daddy?" the child cried, "I'm so scared."

A woman approached the child and put her hands on their shoulders. The child turned and embraced the woman and cried.

Suddenly, Kasey felt resistance on her hand. Susie was pulling her along. "Come on sweetie." She followed once again.

_Look at that baby, _Kasey thought, _She's scared. I'll bet she's younger than me. I'm not scared…I'm not scared…_

318 C. This was it. This was Calvin's room.

Susie was just standing there, not opening the door. Her eyes were huge and locked on the doorknob.

"Susie?" Janey said softly, "Do you want to go home?"

She snapped her head at Janey, her eyes still frightened. "No," she said quickly, "I-I have to see him."

"Maybe Kasey should stay out here with me." Janey lightly patted Susie's arm, but Susie yanked away abruptly.

"No," Susie said louder, "She needs to see her father. Come on Kasey." She took Kasey's hand and opened the door.

Calvin was awake, he had heard them outside. He was determined to cheer up his favorite girls. Next to his mother, of course. She had come by earlier, worrying her pretty little head off. She had asked the doctor ten times if he was _sure _Calvin was ok, Calvin and his dad exchanged that look, and they left.

In walked Susie and Kasey. Susie looked awful. She was terrified. Calvin smiled to show her he was alright, and she seemed to relax a little.

Kasey, on the other hand, looked almost confident. Calvin was skeptical. It wasn't like his daughter to look this optimistic. Something was going on.

"Hi Dad!" Kasey cried and ran up to Calvin's bed and hugged him the best she could. Calvin hugged her back. _This is weird,_ he thought, _She never hugs me._

Susie approached his bed without words and sat down in a chair beside him. When Kasey let go of Calvin, Susie held his hand. Calvin looked into her sweet eyes and tried to tell her everything would be ok without saying anything. Calvin wasn't sure she got the message or not, but she smiled at him.

"Dad, when are you coming home?" Kasey asked, looking up at Calvin innocently.

"Soon sweetie," Calvin replied, "Very soon."

Kasey crossed her arms and scowled. "You also say I'll be out of school soon, but that was _forever _ago. So, when are you going to come home?"

Calvin chuckled at his clever daughter. Before answering, he turned to Susie and said quietly, "Remind you of someone you know?" After Susie chuckled slightly, he turned to Kasey and said, "I'll be home in a couple days, ok Kasey? Is that soon enough?"

She smiled. "Yep! See? Isn't it better to be honest? Things work out a lot better that way."

"I wish the rest of the world knew that," said Calvin.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh, never mind. How's Hobbes?"

"He's good. He was telling me about the things you and Mom would say to each other."

This time Susie laughed. "Oh that takes me back. Your dad and I loved to tease each other!"

Kasey nodded. "I know! You guys were really funny!"

Calvin nodded then said, "Kasey, honey, why don't you go out in the waiting room, ok? Mom and I need to talk for a little while."

"Yeah," Susie said, "Find Janey and tell her your dad is ok and she can find you something to do."

Calvin looked at Susie questioningly. "Janey brought you here?"

"Um…yeah," Susie muttered then lowered her eyes. Calvin squeezed her hand.

Though Kasey didn't really get why Susie was acting so strange all of a sudden, she did what she was told.

She found Janey sitting in a chair outside Calvin's room. Janey stood. "Is your dad ok?"

"Uh huh. But Mom wanted to talk to him for some reason. She's acting weird."

Janey looked through the window on Calvin's door. Susie had her face buried in Calvin's shoulder and Calvin was holding her. Janey bent down on one knee to see eye to eye with Kasey.

"Your mom is a little bit scared right now. She'll be fine; just don't worry her too much for the next few days while your dad is recovering, ok?"

Kasey scowled again. "Mom isn't scared. She's never scared. I'm not scared either! Mom and Dad are probably having an imperative conversation right now. They just want to converse in peace. Mom isn't scared!"

Janey stood up suddenly, taken aback. At the same time she suppressed a smile at Kasey's vocabulary. She frowned. "Kasey, don't argue with me. Let's go to the waiting room now." Janey held out her hand.

"No! I don't need to hold your hand! I'm not a baby!" Kasey crossed her arms and sulked to the elevator. Janey walked beside her.

They sat in the waiting room for a long time. At least, it was a long time to Kasey. All she had to do was watch the second hand go around and around the clock. Janey told her to go play with the toys, but Kasey refused. She didn't want to be seen with such babyish toys.

Finally, Susie walked into the waiting room with a solemn look on her face. Kasey ran up to her and hugged her. Susie was stiff, but smiled.

"Let's go home," she said and gestured Janey to follow them to the car.

"Ok Mom," said Kasey happily. There was no way Susie was scared.

And neither was she.


	4. Telling Hobbes the News

The car ride was silent. Kasey had all sorts of questions she wanted to ask Calvin, but she had to wait until he came home on Thursday. She tried to make her heart stop pounding so much by singing songs in her head. It wasn't working.

Instead of turning onto the road Kasey and Susie lived on, Janey drove past it. When Susie looked at her, puzzled, Janey had a smirk on her face.

"You girls were very brave. Let's celebrate." She pulled into a local Baskin Robbin's. "Ice cream for everyone!"

Kasey perked up, although she didn't like how often Janey kept bringing up bravery. Especially since she _wasn't scared_.

"None for me, thanks," Susie said quietly. She folded her hands in her lap and looked down.

"Susie," Janey said seriously, "You need something to make you happy or else you're going to spend three days worrying until Calvin gets home. Now let's think about _you _for a second. Are you going to have ice cream or not?"

Susie's eyes searched around the floor for nothing. "Ok…" she mumbled, "But…but can I stay in here? In the car?"

"Sure, honey, I'll get you something strawberry." That was Susie's favorite. "Come along Kasey."

Kasey followed Janey with a smile on her face. She was looking forward to ice cream.

When Kasey was licking her ice cream and Janey was holding Susie's, they headed out to the car. But before Janey reached the Baskin Robbin's exit, she stopped.

"Maybe you should eat your ice cream in here, dear."

She scowled. "Why? I want to see Mom and go home."

"Your-your mom wants to be alone right now. I'll go give her ice cream to her and you stay here and eat, ok?"

"But…"

Janey looked at Kasey seriously. "Kasey, stay here." Then she went out to the car.

Kasey did as she was told, still confused. She looked out the window and ate her ice cream. The cashier looked at her suspiciously, as if this was all some elaborate plan to rob the ice cream store. They were probably trained to be suspicious of everyone.

"Little girl, where did your Mommy go?" he said.

Kasey glared at the cashier. "For your information, the woman in here previously wasn't my mother. My mom is in the car. When I'm done eating my ice cream I will join them."

The cashier laughed. "Ok hun, you finish your ice cream."

She did, and when she exited the store she was surprised to see Susie's face buried in Janey's shoulder. Janey saw Kasey and let go of Susie. Kasey frowned and got in the car, feeling as if Janey and her mom were keeping secrets from her. She didn't like not knowing what was going on.

When the car was pulled into their driveway, Susie grabbed her wallet to give Janey some money for gas and ice cream.

"Don't even think about," Janey said seriously with a smile, "I won't accept it."

Susie cracked a small half-smile and put her wallet away. She summoned Kasey, who followed, and unlocked the door.

The house seemed empty and cold.

Susie slapped her forehead. "How am I going to make dinner now? I totally forgot to pick up any food!" She crouched down to Kasey, tears forming. "I'm sorry, sweetheart, I don't know what we're going to eat."

Seeing her own mother cry made Kasey awkward and she stiffened. "We have other food in the house. I can just make myself a sandwich." Her stomach grumbled. She hadn't been hungry at the hospital, but now she was starving. Honestly, she didn't mind there wasn't going to be an official dinner, and didn't understand why her mom was getting so upset.

Susie left her in the entryway to go to her bedroom. Kasey decided to watch TV. Or maybe read. Or draw. Actually, she wasn't sure was she was doing. She ended up sitting on the couch not doing anything for a long time. She had a book in one hand, a pencil in the other, and the TV was blank. The thoughts from the hospital were running through her mind, making her uneasy. Kasey thought that sitting around doing nothing wasn't helping and, although she was hungry, went to her bedroom instead of eating.

Unfortuntely, Hobbes was sitting on her bed looking chipper, which made Kasey irritable. She didn't want to look at happiness. But sadness made her more uncomfortable. She didn't know what she wanted, but didn't dare say it.

"Hello, Kasey. What's wrong?" Hobbes noticed his new friend's sullen expression and frowned.

Kasey crossed her arms and frowned. "Nothing," she said quickly.

Hobbes raised an eyebrow. "Nothing?"

"Nothing." Kasey was being stubborn. Only little kids freaked out when something bad happened. Big kids just take it. Right? Her friends never talked about anything bad that's happened to them, and neither do adults. So why shouldn't she?

"Something happened. I'm going to keep bugging you about it until you tell me." Hobbes knew something was off about Kasey. He had only known her since today, but she acted a lot like Calvin. This morning she was excited and eagar to talk. Now, Kasey wouldn't even look Hobbes in the eye. This wasn't like her, he could tell.

Kasey sighed through her nose and stared at the floor. He would keep bugging her, she knew, so she might as well tell him. "Dad was in a car accident." She spoke quietly, in a low tone, hoping Hobbes wouldn't hear but not ask again.

His eyes widened. "Oh my gosh. Is he ok?"

"Yeah," Kasey replied not looking up, "He just broke his leg. He'll be home Thursday."

Hobbes wasn't convinced Kasey was telling him everything. "Are _you _ok?"

Kasey froze for a second, then looked Hobbes in the eyes again. No one had asked her that yet, except Janey, but she had asked her mom first. Hobbes asked her first, instead of asking how Susie was doing. He cared, which made her happier. But she couldn't tell him that. Because she wasn't scared. She was happy. Kind of.

She threw her hands up, angry. "Everyone's asking me that! Of course I'm ok! Why wouldn't I be? He just broke his leg! It's not like my dad is _dying _or anything! Why shouldn't I be ok?" She plopped down on her bed so hard she and Hobbes both bounced. She crossed her arms again and scowled hard.

"Because it's scary," Hobbes said quietly, "Parents getting hurt is scary."

Kasey glared at Hobbes. "Maybe to _you_. You're a little kid. I'm not!" The angrier she got, the more tears welled up in her eyes. She couldn't cry. Not in front of Hobbes. Kasey kept blinking and stopped talking so her tears stopped.

Hobbes noticed the tears and didn't try to convince Kasey she was a little kid. "Your dad will be ok. I promise." He smiled at her. He was so caring, and Kasey knew she would start crying if she let him try and comfort her anymore. She stood up sharply.

"I don't need your sympathy! I can take care of myself!" Then she huffed out of her room, but not before she saw the hurt in Hobbes' eyes. She started regretting her anger, Hobbes was only trying to help. _No, _she thought, _I don't need his help. I can work through this like Mom is._

As she was heading downstairs to see what Susie was doing, the doorbell rang. She jumped. She never jumped when the doorbell rang. Kasey got angry at herself again. _Why am I so jumpy all of a sudden? I'm fine, I'm fine…_

"Hello dear," Janey said with a smiling face as Kasey opened the door. Kasey smiled back to make sure Janey didn't suspect anything. Janey lifted up the bags she was holding. "I brought food!"

Susie appeared in her bedroom doorway. Her eyes were red-rimmed, but she smiled with delight when she saw what Janey had brought.

"Janey!" she cried, "You didn't have to do all this!" She run up and hugged her friend.

Kasey raised an eyebrow. "Yes she did! How else would we have gotten—"

"Shhh! Kasey!" Susie whispered harshly and looked angrily at her daughter, who got the hint, and shushed up. Then Susie turned back to Janey. "It's extremely kind of you to do this. How can I ever repay you?"

"How about you don't," Janey said, "This is my treat. Now let's start eating before this little one starves to death!" She and Susie both chuckled and walked into the kitchen to lay out the food.

_Little one._ The words rung in Kasey's ears and she frowned. _I'll show them. I'll show them all. I'm not little one. No, I can do this. I won't break down like a little child. I'll be strong for Mom. For Dad. I'll prove Hobbes wrong! _

But as she thought those words, hospital memories came flooding back and her heart beat faster. She felt sick. She thought of doctors running. All those doctors, saving lives. They can't save everyone. What if they didn't save Calvin? What if something went wrong? What if Calvin caught one of those deadly diseases in the hospital? What if he can't come home Thursday? The smell of the hospital filled Kasey's nose and she grabbed her stomach.

Janey exited the kitchen and found Kasey. "Are you ok, honey? You look terrible." She put her hand on Kasey's forehead. "You're sweating. What's the matter?"

Susie heard Janey. "Kasey? What's wrong?"

Kasey didn't answer, she just ran to the bathroom. Standing above the toilet, she heaved. Nothing came out.

Janey looked at the worried Susie. "She's just scared. The hospital is new for her. I'm sure she'll be fine, she just needs rest. And so do you. How about I stay here for awhile? I'll clean and cook and take care of Kasey. You rest, ok?"

Susie was about to argue, but couldn't. Janey was right. "Ok. You can stay here till Calvin gets home."

Janey shook her head. "I'll stay here until you and Kasey are both stable again. It could be longer than just a couple days."

"But—"

"Susie…"

"Ok…you can stay…"

"Good. I'll be back later. I need to go get my things. I'll only be a few." Then she left.

Susie went back to eating, though she wasn't hungry. But she needed food, so she kept eating.

After it was clear she wasn't going to throw up, Kasey went back to her room. Hobbes was waiting for her on her desk chair, but kept silent. She sat on her bed. Her hands were shaking. She breathed harder and slower, trying to get her heart to slow down. Trying to get her hands to stop shaking so much. It wasn't working. She put her head in her hands and kept breathing hard.

Hobbes watched her, knowing any words he said would only induce anger. So he just got up and sat next to her in her bed. He lifted his fuzzy arm and put it around Kasey's shoulder.

For a second, Kasey embraced Hobbes and sniffled. Then she realized what she was doing and shoved him off.

"I'm fine," she mumbled, "I'm fine."


	5. The Dream

"_Dad! Dad!"_

_Kasey was running toward Calvin who always seemed just on the horizon. "Dad! Come back!"_

_Suddenly, two large people blocked Kasey's path. "I'm sorry little girl. You can't see your dad anymore."_

"_No! I'm not a little girl! I wanna see my dad!"_

_Hobbes appeared out of nowhere. "I told you that you were a little kid! You're a little kid!"_

_Tears were streaming down her face. "No! Where's my dad? I wanna see Dad!" Kasey tried to see around the two people in front of her, but couldn't. The two people started pushing her away._

Kasey shot out of bed. "No!" She was sweating. Her bedroom was black and she was cold. When Kasey looked down she realized she'd kicked all her blankets off, and Hobbes was on the floor.

"Are you all right?" Hobbes asked quietly, "You were talking in your sleep."

Kasey was panting heavily, but clamed herself down a little. "I was…I'm fine Hobbes."

"Hmm." Hobbes stood up. "How long are you going to lie to me Kasey? I know you aren't fine." He climbed back on the bed as Kasey covered herself with blankets again.

"I'm tired Hobbes. Go to sleep." She lied down and closed her eyes.

"Kasey…"

She made fake snoring sounds. "I'm sleeping, you can't talk to me!" Then she rolled over and tried to fall asleep again. Hobbes seemed to fall asleep quickly, but Kasey lay awake for a long time, thinking about her dream. She was afraid she would have it again.

Suddenly, Kasey heard walking downstairs. Her heart pounded. Was someone in their house? Then she realized it was Susie, pacing. She knew it was her mom because she could hear her mumbling to herself. But she didn't know what Susie was saying.

_Why is she up so late?_ Kasey thought, _Maybe she can't sleep like me._

Eventually, around four in the morning, Kasey was able to fall asleep. When she woke up, Hobbes was waiting for her. He was sitting at the foot of her bed, twiddling his thumbs.

"Are you on Spring Break?" he asked.

Kasey rubbed her eyes, not completely awake yet. "Um…no…why?"

"Because when your dad went to school, he'd usually be at the bus by now."

Her heart sank as she looked at the clock. 8:01. Her bus was going to be on her driveway in five minutes! Kasey rushed out her bedroom door and was surprised to see Janey in their living room, sipping coffee. She looked up.

"Good morning Kasey. Did you sleep well?"

Kasey ignored her greeting. "I'm going to be late to school!" she blurted.

"Honey, I don't think you're in good enough shape to go to school. Your mother barely slept last night. I don't think you slept well either. Just go back to bed." She smiled.

What was Kasey going to tell her friends tomorrow? That she was sick? Should she tell them about the car accident? No, she had to go to school to avoid that whole conversation. Why would she stay home for a little thing like a car accident? They couldn't know. "Janey, I can go to school. I'm fine."

Janey looked skeptical. "You don't look fine. In fact, you look as if you hardly slept last night."

Right on cue, Kasey yawned. "No…I slept fine."

"Uh huh. Sure you did. Your bus will be here any second and I'm not driving you. So you'll have to stay home and sleep." Janey smiled again. "Aww…poor Kasey. Being forced to sleep instead of going to school."

Kasey refused to smile, but went back to her room anyway. Hobbes was waiting for her.

"Yay! We can stay home and play!" he shouted. Kasey hadn't used the word 'play' in a long time. Usually she and her friends would hang out, nothing more. She wondered what was involved in playing; she hadn't done it in so long. She lowered her eyes.

"I…I don't know how to play…"

"You don't?" Hobbes' eyes widened, but then he grinned. "I'll teach you! We can play CalvinBall!"

"Umm…" Kasey wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want to disappoint Hobbes, but playing sounded so…childish. She fell back on her bed and yawned again. "I dunno Hobbes. Can I sleep first?"

"Sure you can! I'll wait. I've waited for your dad plenty of times; I can wait for you too." Then he went back to looking like a regular stuffed animal. Kasey closed her eyes and fell asleep quicker than she thought she would.

When she finally awoke, Hobbes was waiting for her, like he said he was. Kasey felt uneasiness in the pit of her stomach. She wasn't sure if she wanted to play.

"Come on! Let's play!" Hobbes said excitedly, and something about his enthusiasm drew Kasey toward her bedroom door and she went outside with Hobbes.

It was almost eleven, the dew had since evaporated and the sun was already warming up the morning chill. Still, Kasey shivered. Her previous dream still circled in her head, and she was still embarrassed by the idea of "playing."

Hobbes was bouncing around in circles around her. "Come on, come on! Let's play CalvinBall!"

"But I don't know how to play…"

"That's the best part! You make up your own rules! Ok, rule number one: If you're tagged, you have to do five jumping jacks."

Kasey scowled. "That's a dumb rule!"

"Then _you _think of another rule. But rule number one stays!"

"Fine…" Kasey thought for a minute, "If you don't catch the ball, you need to spin until you're dizzy! Then run to that tree."

Hobbes raised his eyebrows. "What ball?"

"I'll go get one!" Kasey ran up to her room and grabbed a dusty dodge-ball she hadn't used in a long time. She was actually excited to play outside. A smile crept up on her mouth. By the time she rushed outside again, Hobbes had another rule waiting for her.

"If you fall down while trying to run to that tree you have to sing "Mary Had A Little Lamb!"" he called.

Kasey giggled and threw the ball at Hobbes, who caught it.

"I caught the ball! Now you have to run around until I tag you!"

"Ok," Kasey said, "But if you don't tag me on the first throw, I get five points and I try to tag you!"

"_After _you spin around until you're dizzy and try to run to that tree," Hobbes reminded her, "Let's not forget _your _rule."

"All right, I think we have a stable foundation for a game. Let's go!"

Hobbes laughed.

"What? What did I say?" Kasey raised her eyebrows.

"Oh nothing," Hobbes grinned, "You sounded just like your dad when you said that."

The two of them started playing. Susie watched from the window after she had woken up and smiled at her daughter. She saw Kasey running around a stuffed tiger, but Kasey herself had learned to see more than that. She was running around her new friend, slowly grasping the idea of playing once more.

Then the phone decided to ring a few hours later. Kasey and Hobbes had gone back outside after lunch, so Susie answered with worry circling her mind. Was it the hospital? Was Calvin ok?

"Hello?" Susie said shakily.

"Oh, hi Mrs. Grayson. Is Kasey there?" said a young voice.

Relief flooded Susie. "Yes Mariah. She's outside, I'll go get her." She called in Kasey, who looked somewhat disappointed to leave Hobbes behind.

"Hello?" Kasey said into the phone, trying to catch her breath.

"Hey Kasey! How's it going? You sound tired."

"Yeah I was just…" she stopped. Her friends would call her a baby if they knew she had been outside. They would laugh if they knew she had also been playing with a toy. She decided it best not to bring it up. "Um…I was just…working out." That was true. She had been working out. Outside. With a stuffed animal.

"Oh ok, that's cool. Yeah, it's probably best we stay in shape this summer."

Mariah was already considering herself "out of shape," though she totally wasn't at all. Kasey pretended to care when Mariah was going on about her new diet. In reality, she found it all kind of sickening. She sighed. "Come on, Mariah. You're not out of shape."

"Oh please," Mariah scoffed, "Have you seen my thighs? They're all jiggly."

Kasey rolled her eyes. Arguing with her wasn't going to do either of them any good. She quickly changed the subject and talked for a little while. Then Mariah asked the question she was trying to avoid.

"So, like, why weren't you at school?"

Silence.

"Kasey?"

"Uh…I…"

Susie walked in the living room and sat down.

"I didn't feel like going to school."

"Oh, are you sick?"

"Yeah, kinda. Um…Mariah…I have to go. I'll talk to you later, ok?"

"Ok. Bye."

Kasey hung up. Susie looked at her strangely.

"You didn't tell her about Dad. Why not? I thought you two told each other everything."

Kasey's pounding heartbeat thundered in her ears. She hated being put on the spot. "Um…I just…didn't want to."

"Are you scared?"

"_No_." There was that word again.

"All right. Hobbes is outside waiting for you."

Suddenly, playing outside was the last thing Kasey wanted to do. She went outside anyway. Hobbes noticed how glum she looked.

"What's wrong? Who was on the phone?"

"Mariah. My friend." Kasey chose a sunny spot on the grass and sat down. Hobbes sat down beside her.

"Do you want to play, still?"

Kasey shook her head. All she could think about was what she was going to say to her friends when she goes back to school. She rested her head on her knees. Her dream started circling her head again.

She didn't notice when Hobbes put her arm around her. And when she did, she didn't push him away.


	6. Progress

Hobbes smiled at the fact that Kasey hadn't pushed her away yet. He pulled her closer. She was making progress, little by little.

Kasey sniffled. She wasn't really sure why she was letting Hobbes comfort her, but it felt good, so she didn't stop him. All those thoughts wouldn't leave her mind, and she didn't feel like talking. Hobbes seemed to understand and didn't try and get her to talk. She still refused to cry.

Susie noticed how quiet it was outside and looked out the window. She saw Kasey hugging Hobbes for the first time. She smiled. At least she was getting the comfort she needed. Janey approached her and smiled.

"I think Kasey's going to be ok," she said.

"Yeah," replied Susie, "I think so too."

"What about you?"

Susie turned. "What?"

"How are you holding up?"

"Fine."

"Liar." Janey grinned.

Susie found a way to chuckle slightly and sat down. "I'm just glad he's coming home tomorrow. Then all this will be over."

"Are you sure it'll be over? I'm thinking you're going to stress over him for the whole month he has his cast on. Then after that you probably won't let him drive anywhere for another three months." Janey spoke jokingly, but Susie knew she wasn't completely exaggerating.

When the silence became prolonged, Janey sat down beside Susie and put her arm around her. Susie remained stiff. Although she wanted to lean against her best friend, she felt she had to be strong for Kasey. For Calvin. For everyone. She felt so weak when she kept breaking down yesterday. No more. Janey removed her arm, leaving Susie feeling worse than before. It was like she had just rejected the comfort she really needed.

"Kasey," Hobbes finally spoke.

She sniffled again, not letting the tears come. "What?"

"Did I ever tell you the raccoon story?"

"What raccoon story?" Kasey removed herself from Hobbes' arm and sat up to look at him, curious.

Hobbes frowned. "Huh. Could have sworn I told it to you. Well, once your dad and I found a hurt baby raccoon. He was really bad off. Your grandma put him in a shoe box to keep him safe and we all gave him food and water, but he wouldn't eat anything." Hobbes' eyes grew sadder, and Kasey couldn't help feeling downhearted too. Already she wanted this raccoon to make it.

"But he died a couple days later," Hobbes continued sadly, "Your dad was crushed. And scared."

Kasey raised her eyebrows. "My dad? Scared? How could he be? What's there to be scared of?"

"Oh, lots of things. He started worrying about death a lot. He had nightmares too." He eyed Kasey. "He started dreaming that he was going to die soon. He was really scared. Like your mom is now."

That was too much. Kasey stood up abruptly. "Mom isn't scared! She's a grown-up!"

"Adults get scared too."

"No they don't! I've never seen an adult scared once!"

"Of course not. They want to stay strong for the kids. But trust me, everyone gets scared."

Kasey scowled. "I don't believe you."

"Tell me, on the drive down to the hospital, did your mom act weird at all?"

"No…well…not really…" Kasey thought, "I mean…she couldn't drive to the hospital…"

"Mmhmm. And why do you think that is?"

"Uh…I don't know. I thought it was because she was so excited to see Dad."

"Did she act excited?"

"No…."

"See? She was scared. Why else would she act that way?"

"No! I can't believe someone as strong as Mom would get scared over such a little thing! It's absurd!"

Hobbes tried not to roll his eyes. She really didn't seem to get it. "Getting into car accidents is not a little thing. Your dad could have been really hurt, or even killed. Adults think of that. Of what could have happened. I wouldn't be surprised if your mom doesn't let him drive for a while after he gets his cast off. She's afraid the same thing will happen again, only it'll be worse."

"That's just crazy."

"It is, actually. But that's how people think. I saw your dad act that way. Ask him about the raccoon, I'm sure he'll tell you the same thing. People are crazy sometimes. Kasey," Hobbes looked at her meaningfully, "it's ok to be scared."

Kasey bit her lip, her nightmare in her head and tears threatening to form. She walked briskly toward the front door.

"Hey, where are you going? You're going to leave me out here?" Hobbes called.

No answer. The door was shut and Hobbes sat out in the grass, praying he had broken some barriers and helped her make a little more progress.

Susie stood up quickly when she heard Kasey walk in. Hobbes wasn't with her.

"Where's Hobbes? You shouldn't leave him outside like that," she said.

Kasey was about to open the door to her room, but she thought of what Hobbes said and turned to face Susie. "Mom? If I ask you a question, will you be completely truthful?"

A little taken aback by the question, Susie stepped back. "Um, of course I will, honey."

"Are you scared?"

"Of what?"

"Of this whole situation. Are you scared that Dad will get hurt again? Are you going to be scared whenever he goes out? Tell me the truth!" Kasey crossed her arms.

Janey's eyes were wide, Susie's eyes were sad. She approached Kasey and get down on her knees to make eye contact.

"Kasey," she said, "Don't worry about me, ok?"

"You didn't answer my question."

Janey stood up. "Susie, she needs to know how her mother is feeling about this. Just tell her the truth."

A lump rose in Susie's throat and she swallowed. How can she tell her own daughter that she was scared out of her mind? How would Kasey feel when she knew her mother wasn't a superhero, and never was? Tears pricked her eyes and she put her hand on Kasey's shoulder. "Kasey," she said again, "Kasey…you…you have no idea how scared I am. I'm really scared. About everything in this whole situation. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. I'm sorry I'm scared." Tears came, and Susie let her head hang in shame.

Kasey didn't know what to think. "But, you're a grown-up. You aren't supposed to get scared." Her head whirled and her world came crashing down. If adults get scared like kids do, how can the world go on? Someone is always supposed to be the strong one. Kasey thought Susie was, but now she knew that wasn't true. She didn't know who was supposed to be strong.

Susie lifted her sad eyes. "I know honey. I know."

Now Janey stood up abruptly. "Wait a minute, wait a minute. Adults and kids can be scared. It's completely normal! Kasey, your mom is scared for a very good reason. Not everyone gets into car accidents like this. It can be scary, terrifying. Because it could have been so much worse. Both of you need to support each other. Neither of you should take the responsibility of "the strong one" who isn't scared or doesn't cry. Both of you are strong, I know you are. You can both grow from this and help each other. Got it?"

Adults get scared. Kids get scared. Kasey started seeing how she needed to help her mom, and how her mom needed to help her. Janey was additional help so neither of them pushed themselves over the edge. Susie stood up and wiped her eyes. Kasey headed back outside. Hobbes was waiting.

"I'm sorry," Kasey mumbled, "I was just angry. I'm sorry I left you out here." She returned to her place next to Hobbes, who didn't say anything. He was there to help her, and Kasey started feeling guilty for pushing him away. She started seeing that she needed help. Her vision started getting blurry. "Hobbes, what if he isn't ok? What if something goes wrong? What if his leg heals wrong? What if he gets into another car accident? What if…."

Hobbes put his arm around her again and pulled her into a hug.

"Hobbes?"

"Yes Kasey?"

"I'm so scared."


	7. Calvin's Home

**A/N: I'm SO sorry it's been so long. School has been incredibly busy this year. But I've been out of school because I'm snowed in! Hahaha. Thank you so much for sticking with me this long! I appreciate every review! The next chapter won't take as long, I promise!  
**

Thursday. Calvin was coming home.

Susie wouldn't stop pacing. It was five in the morning. She needed to be at the hospital at nine. But she was wide awake. It's hard sleeping in a bed with an empty space. Calvin needed to be in that space. Susie hadn't been able to sleep since he got in the car accident.

She heard footsteps coming down the stairs. Her heart jumped. But it was only Kasey, rubbing her eyes.

"Mom? What are you doing?" she asked sleepily.

"Nothing, honey. Go back to sleep."

"Why are you awake?"

"It's nothing, Kasey. Go back upstairs." Susie waved her hand toward the door, getting frustrated; not realizing Kasey would understand more than she thought.

Kasey didn't listen; she climbed up onto Calvin's side of the bed and watched Susie.

"I mean it, get back to bed," Susie insisted.

"I thought we were going to help each other. Let me help you." Kasey scowled, she was determined.

Susie sighed. "There's nothing you can do to help me. I…I just can't sleep. I need your dad to be here."

"Yeah, this bed is cold without him, isn't it?" Kasey stroked the bed sheets and Susie looked at her. "Can I sleep here with you?" Kasey asked, "I can fill the empty space on the bed."

Susie blinked, and almost burst into tears. Kasey was trying so hard to help her. She wasn't sure if Kasey being there was going to help her sleep, but what did she have to lose?

"Ok, honey," Susie said, smiling, "You can sleep with me." Both of them got under the covers, and Kasey got close to Susie, something she had always hated doing in the past. Every time Susie had hugged Kasey in public, she would complain about how embarrassed she was and push Susie away. Susie had gotten used to not hugging her daughter very often, but she liked this change, and decided not to make comments on it.

"Mom?" Kasey asked sleepily, yawning.

"Yes, Kasey?"

Kasey knew her mom needed to hear this from her, because Hobbes was probably right. They had been talking in her room because she couldn't sleep either. Yet, she still couldn't bring herself to say it. It was too different, too strange. She had to say something though. The silence was getting too long. "Um…goodnight," she muttered.

"Goodnight honey." Susie could tell that wasn't what Kasey wanted to say, but decided that physical contact was enough progress for now. She watched the digital numbers on her clock slowly change and put an arm around Kasey.

_This is weird, _Kasey thought to herself, _It's weird being this close to her. But I guess she needs it right now. _She allowed her eyes to close and started to relax. Susie's arm was warm and her breathing was calming. Kasey started to drift off, and soon she was asleep.

Susie wished Kasey had the same effect on her. She was still wide awake. Comforting her daughter made her happy, but not sleepy. She continued to watch the clock until her body couldn't take it anymore and she fell into a deep sleep at eight.

The alarm clock was blaring an hour later, and Kasey, although tired, woke up promptly. Susie still slept.

"Mom," Kasey said as she shook Susie lightly, "Mom, get up." She turned the alarm off and continued to shake Susie awake, or try to. But she didn't budge. A snore escaped her throat. She was completely and utterly exhausted.

Janey had woken up an hour ago, and she heard Kasey's attempts to rouse her mother. She went downstairs.

"Kasey," she said softly and beckoned her to the hallway. "Your mom had a rough night, so I'm going to go get your Dad from the hospital for her. I'll be back soon, ok?"

"C-can I come?" Kasey asked quietly, suddenly not wanting Calvin out of her sight. She couldn't let him get into another car accident.

"I know you want to come, but you need to get some more sleep too." Janey spoke gently, and smiled. "I'll drive careful, I promise." She tousled Kasey's already bed-head hair, and left quietly.

The door shut and was locked. Kasey's ears rung in the silence. "Please don't let him get into another wreck. Please let him be safe." She wasn't sure if she was talking to Janey, God, or something else, but she needed to say something out loud. Becoming tired again, Kasey climbed back into bed with Susie and fell asleep.

When she awoke again, Susie was frantic.

"Mom," Kasey said sleepily, "Mom, it's ok. Janey's getting Dad. She's picking him up."

Susie stopped short and stared and her daughter. "What?" she asked, "She did?" Then tears started forming. "I was supposed to. I was supposed to pick him up. I had _one _job, and I failed. I can't believe I let sleep overwhelm me like that. Why would Janey do such a thing?" She was exasperated, and still very tired. Feeling like a failure when you are this tired is never has a good effect on emotions.

Kasey got up, concerned. "Mom, it's ok. It's almost nine thirty. They'll be home any minute. You didn't fail. You were just tired. There's nothing wrong with that, is there?"

"When you're a grown-up Kasey, you'll understand that sometimes sleep is your enemy." Susie finished getting dressed and went upstairs, yawning. Kasey followed her, but then went to Hobbes, who was reading.

"What's going on?" Hobbes asked. "I heard noise downstairs."

"She's acting really weird. She thought she was a failure for not waking up in time to pick up Dad. Then she said sleep was my enemy." Kasey was confused. Adults had never acted this frantic around her before.

"She's scared, no doubt about it," Hobbes remarked.

Kasey was about to argue, but Hobbes held up his paw.

"She wants to be with your dad. Being away from her scares the heck out of her. Your mom needs help from you Kasey. Did you tell her what I asked you to?"

"No. It was too weird." Kasey suddenly felt ashamed.

Hobbes threw up his paws. "You need to tell her Kasey. It will change everything if she hears it from you. And you have to mean it to."

Kasey nodded, tears brimming in her eyes for no reason. "Ok."

"Kasey," Hobbes' eyes softened, "Go back to sleep. You're obviously emotionally drained."

Like a zombie, Kasey pulled up the covers and closed her eyes. But she was too tense to fall asleep. She lay there for a good fifteen minutes until Hobbes spoke again.

"Can't sleep?" he said quietly. Kasey nodded. "Here," he said as he worked his way under the covers and into Kasey's arms. "This usually worked for your dad." Hobbes was fluffy and soft. Kasey could see why it worked. She started relaxing. She soon fell asleep, but not before she let a few tears escape. She tried wiping them away, embarrassed, but Hobbes stopped her.

"Kasey, let yourself be sad. It's ok."

She sniffled but didn't let herself fully cry. Then she was asleep, still snuggling Hobbes close to her chest.

She awoke to the sound of Janey and Calvin talking in the living room. She shot up out of bed. Immediately she sat back down as she was overcome by dizziness by getting up too fast.

"Hey there sleepyhead," Hobbes said and grinned. Kasey wasn't listening. The dizziness passed and she stood again and rubbed her eyes. Her dad was right outside that door, but she felt nervous for some reason. Like if she went to see him then his leg wouldn't heal or something.

"You want me to accompany you to see your dad?" Hobbes asked.

Kasey shook her head. "I'm not a baby, I can do this myself." Hobbes decided not to protest this time. Kasey had to learn things on her own, even if it meant learning things the hard way. Even though she accepted that she was scared, she had a lot to learn.

Kasey heard Calvin and Janey talking in low voices as she crept down the hall. She felt she had to sneak around for some reason.

"It's been pretty bad since you've been gone, Calvin. The girls are taking this pretty hard. But neither of them wants to admit it, which only increases the stress on them."

"That's terrible," Calvin replied, "I hope it'll settle down. I can't thank you enough for willingly staying with us until everything's back to normal."

"Don't mention it, it's my pleasure."

Kasey was too far down the hall to continue hiding. She cleared her throat to announce her presence then stepped into the living room. She smiled when she saw Calvin. She really wanted to run up and hug him, but she stopped herself. Although she admitted she was scared (finally), she was still a big girl. Little girls run up and hug their daddies. Not big girls. She hugged Calvin in the hospital in a moment of weakness. She convinced herself it wouldn't happen again. Hobbes listened from her bedroom.

"Hey pumpkin. How's my girl?" Calvin tried to remain positive. He had no idea that this would upset his daughter so much.

"Fine," she said quickly. "How's your leg?"

"Healing. It'll be all better in a month or two."

"Kasey," Janey said, "Do you want some breakfast? There's some muffins on the table."

Kasey grabbed one and started heading back to her bedroom.

"Woah, woah, where are you going?" Calvin said suddenly.

"To my room," Kasey replied.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk about this whole situation? This is a big deal after all."

"No it isn't, Dad. Everything's fine. People get into car accidents every day. This isn't a big deal."

"Not everyone gets into car accidents that affect _you_," Calvin said.

It was true. This was the first time anything "bad" had happened to someone so close to her. This was why she was acting so weird. This had never happened to anyone she knew. At least, she thought that was the case.

Calvin knew that. Janey knew that. Even Hobbes had figured it out. But Kasey didn't know they knew.

"I'm fine, Dad."

"No," Calvin said, "You're not allowed to eat that muffin in your room."

For some reason, this made Kasey's eyes tear up. Maybe she was still tired. She ate in silence and gave only one or two-word answers to Calvin and Janey's questions. After she was done she trudged to her room. Her head hurt. Right behind her eyes. This time Calvin and Janey didn't stop her.

She plopped onto her bed and sighed. Hobbes approached her.

"Why are you crying," Hobbes asked, "What happened out there?"

Kasey turned so Hobbes didn't see her tears. "Nothing happened."

"Then why are you—"

Kasey shot out of bed. "I don't know Hobbes! I don't know why I'm crying! I just don't know." She buried her head in her hands. "My head hurts."

"Do you know why?"

"I don't know…"

"It's because you're stressed, Kasey. Your headache won't go away unless you let it out. You need to accept the fact that you're scared."

"I already told you I was scared!" Kasey snapped.

"Yes, you did. That's good progress. Now you need to _act_ like you're scared."

"Why would I do that? That wouldn't do me any good."

"Yes it would! It totally would! If you show your true emotions then you'll be able to work through it with your family. If you hide it then no one will know how to help you."

"What if I don't _need _help, Hobbes?"

Hobbes crossed his arms. "You do need help. Your whole family needs help. This isn't going to work unless you all help each other just like Janey said! Stop trying to be the strong one! It isn't going to help anything!" He sat down next to her and started putting his arms around her.

She struggled, but was failing. "No! Let me go! Leggo of me you stupid tiger! This is why my dad stopped talking to you! You never let him do anything himself!"

Kasey's words hurt. But he knew better than to get angry over them. She was just overwhelmed. He succeeded in getting his arms around her. He pulled her close to him tightly. This was the only way to get her to calm down.

"Let me go! Let go of me! Hobbes, stop it!" She flailed and kicked. But tears started flowing down her cheeks. It was working.

"No!" Hobbes said firmly, "I'm not letting you go until you start showing how you really feel! I know you want to cry. You've wanted to cry this whole time. This is what it's come down to. I need to make you relax!" He wasn't hurting her, just hugging her. Kasey knew if he hugged her then she'll start relaxing and start crying. She didn't want to relax, but she was growing tired of kicking.

"IhateyouIhateyouIhateyou…" she murmured over and over again until she finally became too tired to struggle anymore. She panted. The tears couldn't stop now, although by this point Kasey couldn't remember why she was crying in the first place. Hobbes wouldn't let go. He could feel Kasey's muscles starting to relax and she let her head rest against his fuzzy chest. He could feel her heart pounding.

"There," Hobbes said softly, "This is what you need."

He was right. Kasey had known all along that he was right. She started crying. Hard. Her sobs were muffled by Hobbes' fur.

After a while, Hobbes remarked, "You know this is only the beginning, right? One day of releasing your true feelings isn't going to fix everything. It's good progress, but now we need to help your mom out. And eventually you're going to have to tell your friends why you've been missing school."

Kasey sniffled. "That sounds hard."

Hobbes smiled. "It won't be easy, but there's a reason that I'm around."


	8. Rethinking

Once Kasey had regained her composure, she was in a slightly better mood. Susie had since gotten up and was interrogating Calvin about his condition. All the reassurances Calvin gave to Susie were for naught. She kept asking if he needed anything.

"See," Hobbes commented, "Your mom is scared. She's going to keep acting like this until you _and_ your dad help her work through it."

Kasey crossed her arms. "I still don't get why a strong person like Mom would be so freaked out over something like this. It seems kind of silly."

"Kasey, when will you learn that your dad getting into a car accident is _not_ a little thing? It's a big deal. Yes, it's true that he's not in critical condition or anything, but your mom is worried that it'll happen again. Moms do that kind of stuff. They think of the worst case scenario and try their best not to let it happen."

"Like how she always reminds me to look both ways before crossing the street even though I always remember?"

"Right! Exactly. Your mom doesn't want you to get hurt. Sometimes she overdoes it a little. But it's only because she loves you." Hobbes crossed his arms. "That reminds me…have you told your mom what I told you to tell her?"

Kasey lowered her eyes. "No…not yet."

"You need to tell her soon. Especially when she's worried like this."

"I tried to, Hobbes! It's too weird to tell her something like that."

"It shouldn't be. You should be telling her this way more often."

"Whatever. I don't even see how it will help. What if she starts crying again? It makes me so uncomfortable when she cries in front of me."

"Well if you actually showed your feelings in front of each other, then you wouldn't be so awkward!"

Kasey opened her mouth to retort, but sighed instead. "I don't want to fight again. I said horrible things when you tried to hug me. I'm really sorry." She sat back down on her bed, and Hobbes sat next to her.

"It's ok. I know you didn't mean it. You were just angry. You've been under a lot of stress."

"Yeah…I guess."

"Why don't you go out and say hi to your dad again? And this time _stay _out there for a while."

Kasey sighed. "Oh all right." She trudged down the hallway, now clearly understanding what Susie was saying to her dad.

"Calvin, please be reasonable. You can't go back to work with a broken leg, it's ridiculous!"

"Honey, I'll be fine. I work in an office. I'll manage."

"No, I can't let you! I really don't think it's a good idea."

Calvin sighed. If he didn't compromise, then she'd never let it go. "Fine, how about I stay home for a couple weeks and then we'll see if I'm ready to go to work. But I have to work from home at least a little bit. Sound good?"

"I…I guess it'll have to do." Susie sounded disappointed.

"Hey, there's my girl!" Calvin said excitedly as Kasey appeared.

Kasey was nervous again. She never thought she'd feel nervous around her own parents. She sat down next to Susie. What could she possibly say? There was nothing to be said.

"Do you feel like going to school tomorrow?" Susie inquired.

She hadn't thought about what she would say to her friends yet. "Um…I guess. Yeah, I kinda want to go back to school again."

"Well…we'll wait and see how you feel tomorrow."

Feel. Hobbes had told her to start showing how she really felt from now on. But the problem was that Kasey didn't know. Everything was all mixed up in her head. Kasey was still convinced she could understand the situation as well as the adults around her. But that wasn't the case at all. Still, she was too stubborn to ask her dad why he got into accident. She was under the impression that only poor drivers got into wrecks, and Calvin was the best driver she knew.

Kasey stood.

"Hey, where are you going?" Calvin asked.

"I don't know. To my room, I guess," she replied glumly.

"Why don't you stay out here for a while. How's school going?" Calvin inquired.

"Um..."

"Calvin," Susie interjected, "Kasey hasn't gone to school since the car accident."

"What? Really?"

"Yes. But Janey picked up her homework when she went to go get you, and she's been working thorugh it. Right, Kasey?"

"Uh...yeah." That wasn't true. In fact, Kasey hadn't thought about her homework until Susie had brought it up. But it was fine. Homework came easy to Kasey, a trait she had developed from her mother.

"It's ok if you haven't done any yet. You've had a rough week," Calvin said. He looked quite concerned.

"It's fine," Kasey replied, "I'll finish it today." She was still standing, and waited for Calvin to add something to the conversation. If he didn't, she could quietly sneak off to her room.

"Well...you might want to get started on it." Calvin ended up saying.

"Ok." Kasey left.

Hobbes was surprised by her arrival. "I thought I told you to stay out there."

"Yeah, I did. There was nothing to talk about. Hobbes, sometimes grown-ups aren't as interesting as you think."

"They're plenty interesting. They just don't like to talk about stuff with kids in the room."

Kasey was becoming grumpy over Hobbes' always being right. She sat down and looked at the homework Susie had put in her room while she was sleeping. After working through three math problems, her head ached again. The numbers swirled around the page, making her feel sick.

Hobbes noticed. "Maybe you should stop doing homework for a while."

"No, no. I really should get this done before-" Hobbes wouldn't let her finish. She let him drag her back to her bed.

"Good. At least you're _letting _me help you this time," Hobbes commented, "Sit."

Kasey sat. "What? What do I have to do now?"

"Talk to your dad."

"About what?"

Hobbes threw up his paws. "What do you think? About the accident! You don't know anything about it. It's important."

"Whatever. It totally isn't."

"You're sounding like your old self again. Start acting your age."

"You know, usually when grown-ups tell me to do that, they're asking me to act _older, _not younger."

"True. But you're different than other kids. Your dad is the same way."

"In what sense am I different?"

Hobbes smiled. "There. Right there! You talk more maturely than kids your age. Your imagination overflows so much so I can exist. If you worked at it a little, you could potentially think as deeply as Aristotle. You're pretty special. You have the mind of an adult, but the emotions of a kid, like you're supposed to. Kasey, kids your age are supposed to get upset over things that adults don't. Kids are supposed to have heightened emotions sometimes. When will you realize that this is all _normal_?"

Kasey smiled a little. "I don't know," she mumbled, "I guess I never thought of it that way."

"I know you can think harder than this Kasey. You just have to come to terms with the fact that you're still a kid."

She frowned again. "But I don't want to be kid."

"Why not?"

"Kids never know what they're doing. Kids make mistakes. Adults never take them seriously. Adults know everything. Kids are stupid."

Hobbes crossed his arms. "You realize that adults make mistakes too, right? Adults are stupid sometimes too. They don't know everything. I'll prove it to you. Go ask your dad why he was in a car accident. It was adult stupidity, I'm sure."

"I've already been out there twice! I'm supposed to be doing homework anyway."

"Fine," Hobbes said, exasperated, "You win for today. Do what you want. But this progress has to continue. Because I'm sure you're going to school on Monday."

As if on cue, Susie walked in. "Mariah is on the phone again. Do you want to talk to her?"

Kasey still had no idea how she was going to tell her friends something like this. They never talked about anything serious. It didn't seem right. Recess was for talking about that boy she had a crush on, or a new diet she was trying, or…wait.

Mariah never asked about Kasey. Never at all. Hobbes _only _asked about her because he was worried. Calvin and Susie both were incessantly asking about her well-being. Why didn't Mariah? Kasey thought they were friends. But she never asked about Mariah either.

"No, Mom. Not right now," Kasey replied, "I'll talk to her later." Susie left. She turned to Hobbes.

"I think I need to reevaluate my friendships. Mariah never asks how I'm doing or anything. And I never ask about her. I think I should become friends with her. Real friends."

"I like the sound of that," Hobbes said, and grinned, "Now get back to work while I read comic books!"


End file.
